But first--my thoughts exactly

This also might explain why cricket never caught on here.


YKWIA calls American football 'pointyball'. I think that about covers it. I used to watch English premier football occasionally, and did get into it, although I didn't play favourites in terms of teams, really. And as to American football, I have never really wrapped my head over what downs are. I guess it's because while in school I did play soccer (I had a talent for being hit in the head by balls, and they told me to stand in front of the goalkeeper (note, protecting them, not the goal) and make sure my hand didn't intercept the ball) but being a girl, football was out (at least at that point in time).

I love John Cleese, and this was so right on. YWKIA, be sure to show this to you-know-who.

Well, that might work

Robotic Clouds Will Provide Shade During Qatar World Cup

They're essentially blimps designed to shade the stadium in what can be 122°F (50°C) heat. And they're only $500,000 each which, as the article notes, is pocket change for a place like Qatar.

Now that's how to show how far you've come

35 years ago civil war broke out in Lebanon. To mark the anniversary, political leaders from different factions met in another form of strife--a football (soccer) match.

Lebanon's political rivals meet in football 'friendly'

Rival political leaders in Lebanon have marked the 35th anniversary of the outbreak of the civil war with a football match to show their unity.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri captained his team against a side led by an MP from the Shia Hezbollah movement.

Commentators had to stifle their laughter as the unfit politicians quickly ran out of breath.

A unity government was formed by Mr Hariri's majority coalition and the Hezbollah-led opposition in November.

The agreement ended five months of deadlock following June's general election which had threatened Lebanon's stability.

'One team'

"We are one team" was the slogan for the 30-minute friendly played by ministers and MPs to commemorate the bloody 1975-1990 civil war, which left more than 150,000 people dead.